Exonerated Wicomico Co. man to receive compensation from state of Maryland

WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. – An exonerated Wicomico County man has been approved to receive compensation for being wrongfully convicted of attempted rape. Grant Jones was imprisoned for four years following his 1993 conviction.

Jones will receive just over $436,000 in compensation for his ordeal. The Office of Maryland’s Attorney General calls this payment crucial, as Jones is battling health issues.

In August, Circuit Court Judge Karen Dean ruled that Jones had been wrongfully convicted. By September, Jones had applied for compensation under the Walter Lomax Act. The 2021 law establishes a clear path for Marylanders who have been proven innocent of a crime, to seek compensation from the state.

In December, Administrative Law Judge Kathleen Chapman officially ruled that Jones was proven innocent, and eligible for state compensation. Jones will receive $346,913.25 from the Board of Public Works. He is also receiving $89,100.00 from the Department of Housing and Community Development for housing accommodations.

“Mr. Jones’ compensation award will help him address some of the consequences of his wrongful conviction and incarceration,” said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown in a release. “This case underscores the ongoing need for reform within the criminal justice system.”

Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes, who helped secure Jones’ exoneration, says no amount of money can make up for the time and potential stolen from Jones while he was behind bars, and living under the shadow of a false conviction.

“It was a desire to have him compensated in a concrete way for the injustice,” Dykes told 47 ABC WMDT. “We are a human system, and despite everyone’s best efforts, sometimes we don’t get it right. When we don’t, we have an obligation to say so, and do what we can to make it right.”